Object.registerClass
Object.registerClass (which, if you’ll notice, is a static method of the Object class) works by changing an internal association of a movieclip symbol in the library from what would normally be the MovieClip class to the class of your choice. Then, whenever an instance of that movieclip symbol is copied onto the screen (either through the timeline or with Actionscript), that instance will directly inherit not from the MovieClip class, but from the class you specified – the registered class – from a Object.registerClass call. The association is setup using a movieclip symbol’s linkage ID (export for actionscript identifier). So, for Object.registerClass to work, it will need to be used with a movieclip in your movie’s library that has a linkage ID assigned for it. The linkage ID can be assigned when you create the moiveclip symbol or through the properties options from the movieclip in the library.

[ assigning a linkage ID from the library ]

Then its just a matter of calling Object.registerClass in the following format to setup the association between a movieclip symbol and class.

Object.registerClass("linkageID", myClass);

With that command, any ‘linkageID’ movieclip symbol placed on the screen thereafter will directly inherit from, and technically be an instance of, myClass. If you ever need to break this connection, you may also do so by registering the linkageID to null.

Object.registerClass("linkageID", null);

Then new ‘linkageID’ instances will no longer be myClass instances and will inherit from MovieClip as they would normally.

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